martin f krafft <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Sending to debian-devel because I would like to hear other people's > opinions. It's about #271428, as the subject says. Please keep > [EMAIL PROTECTED] on CC (I assume GOTO reads -devel). > > also sprach GOTO Masanori <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [2005.04.16.1421 +0200]: >> Exactly, the problem is strftime. If you want to change it, >> please propose it - such new function might be GNU specific >> interface. >> >> BTW, I think it's not buggy because it has been used for a long >> time on various unix. It seems you're eager to have new strftime >> - why don't you work for it? > > We are running in circles. Just because something has been used for > a long time does not mean it is be bug free. > > If libc does not know the timezone you request, it should *not* fall > back to GMT and claim that it is rendering the requested timezone. > > cirrus:~> TZ=GOTO date > Sat Apr 16 12:48:31 GOTO 2005 > > is wrong. It is not 12:48 in the GOTO timezone because the GOTO > timezone does not exist. > > If you ask me, it should do either of the following, in decreasing > order of my preference: > > cirrus:~> TZ=GOTO date > W: unknown timezone: GOTO. Using UTC instead. > Sat Apr 16 12:48:31 UTC 2005 > > cirrus:~> TZ=GOTO date > Sat Apr 16 12:48:31 UTC 2005 > > cirrus:~> TZ=GOTO date > E: unknown timezone: GOTO.
According to my understanding of the POSIX 2001 standard, the behavior is undefined if TZ is set to an invalid value. (ISO C 99 does not specify how the timezone is determined, but some vague wording [in section 7.23.3.5p3, description of %z and %Z] suggests that it can be either determinable or not determinable.) Therefore, any actual behavior (including the existing one as well as the suggested alternatives) would be standard conforming. >From a QoI point of view, I'd prefer if the timezone string is emitted as "UTC". I have no opinion whether 'date' should print a warning, but IMHO 'strftime' should /not/ write to standard output or standard error. Martin -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
